Pulverulent polyamide coating compositions wherein the polyamide has as an average at least nine carbon atoms per carbonamide group

ABSTRACT

Pulverulent polyamide coating compositions consisting of a mixture of similar polyamides having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and of different relative viscosity, the difference in relative viscosities amounting to at least 0.04 and at most 0.1 units. 
     The mixtures are obtained by mixing powders prepared both by precipitation or by cold grinding or also by mixing the corresponding granulates which subsequently are then cold ground.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

Applicants claim priority under 35 USC 119 for application P 34 41 708.7, filed Nov. 15, 1984 in the Patent Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is polyamide powders for the coating of substrates and the invention is particularly concerned with pulverulent polyamide coating compositions based on polyamides having an average of at least nine carbon atoms per carbonamide group for use in fusion coating procedures.

The state of the prior art of producing polyamide powders may be ascertained by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,698,966; 2,742,440; 2,975,128; 3,203,822; 3,299,009; 3,476,711; 3,927,141; and 3,966,838; British Patent Nos. 535,138 and 830,757; West German Published application Nos. 1,570,392; 1,669,821; 1,210,183; 1,267,428; 1,520,551 and 1,495,147; East German Patent Nos. 7283; 23,607; 24,307 and 25,173; French Patent Nos. 951,924 and 1,384,988 and Swiss Patent No. 582,517; and the Kirk-Othmer "Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology" 2nd Ed., Vol. 16 (1968), under the section "Polyamide (Plastics)", pages 88-105, particularly page 92--polylauryllactam (nylon-12), and polyundecanamide (nylon-11), page 101 Solution Processes, and Powder Processing, pages 101-102, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein.

The flame spraying and fluidized bed coating of nylon on a metal base is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,822. U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,832 discloses the preparation of polymers and copolymers of lauryllactam

It is also known from the disclosures of Chem. Ind. 1968, pp 783 and Modern Plastics, February 1966, pp 153-156, that polyamide powders which are based upon polyamides having at least 11 carbon atoms are useful in the production of metallic coatings similar to enamels.

The compositions of the present invention are applied by the fusion coating method, that is by the fluidized bed method, the flame spray method or the electrostatic coating method. The polyamide powders are obtained by precipitating the polyamide from solutions as disclosed in British Patent No. 688,771 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,056, or by grinding the polyamide granulates as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,143,025 and 4,195,162.

A variety of approaches for improving the properties of polyamide based coating compositions are known from the disclosures of German Patent No. 1,271,286; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,900,607; 3,927,141; and 4,273,919; and British Patent No. 1,392,949.

Nevertheless the coating powders which are known still require further improvements. With particular regard to the edges of very small radius of curvature, that is for thin wires and especially for molded articles made from such wires, for instance baskets, irregularities take place especially at the crossing sites, depending on the position and the stress placed on the coating.

Thus, pore free coatings are achieved at the crossing points of wire grids using polyamide powders having low molecular weights (small relative spec. viscosity values), however, the edges of the wire ends are only inadequately coated. Powders of higher molecular weights are not helpful because pore formation increases substantially and the required elasticity is no longer retained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide pulverulent polyamide coating compositions useful in the fusion coating method which retain the good properties known heretofore and which furthermore provide coatings with outstanding smoothness having pore free surfaces and which furthermore provide adequate coverage with high elasticity at sharp edges.

The pulverulent polyamide coating compositions of the present invention, in addition to the conventional additives, consist of intimate mixtures of:

(I) 80 to 20% by weight of a polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and having a relative viscosity from about 1.50 to 1.65; and correspondingly

(II) 20 to 80% by weight of a similar polyamide having a relative viscosity of about 1.55 to 1.75 where there is a difference between the relative viscosities of component A and component B of at least 0.04 and at most 0.1 units.

The intimate mixtures of components (I) and (II) are preferably obtained by:

(a) mixing precipated powders of components (I) and (II);

(b) mixing cold ground powders of components (I) and (II) and

(c) mixing granules of components (I) and (II) and then cold grinding them.

In a particular embodiment, components (I) and (II) are aliphatic homopolyamides represented by the basic block formula: ##STR1## wherein x is an integer from 9 to 12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Examples of polyamides having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms include homopolyamides such as polylauryllactam (11 carbon atoms) and polyundecanoic acid amide (10 carbon atoms).

Further included are copolymers such as polyamides consisting of: 80% by weight lauryllactam and 20% by weight caprolactam; 90% lauryllactam and 10% of a salt of hexamethylenediamine with adipic acid; 95% lauryllactam and 5% of a salt of isophoronediamine and dodecanoic diacid; 90% lauryllactam and 10% aminoundecanoic acid; and 90% aminoundecanoic acid and 10% caprolactam.

Preferably mixtures of homopolyamides or of homopolyamides and copolyamides are used, provided the mixtures contain on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group.

Preferred aliphatic groups are linear CH₂ groups, however branched chain aliphatic groups may also be present.

The proportion of homopolyamides and copolyamines in the mixture is 10:90 to 90:10 percent by weight. Preferably mixtures with proportions of 60:40 to 40:60 percent by weight are used.

Especially preferred are homopolyamides, in particular lauryllactam and polyundecanoic acid amide.

Component (I) of the mixtures of the present invention has a low value of viscosity of solution, namely a value η_(rel) of 1.50 to 1.65 (measured in m-cresol at 25° C. for a concentration of 0.5 g/l. Component (I) may be a single component or a mixture according to the above definition of the polyamides.

Component (I) is contained in the total mixture of (I) plus (II) in an amount of 20 to 80, preferably 25 to 75, especially 33 to 67% by weight.

Component (II) is a similar polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatic bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and like component (I) it is therefore a homopolyamide or a mixture of homopolyamides or monoamides and copolyamides. Component (II) differs by its higher viscosity which is η_(rel) =1.55 to 1.75.

The portion of component (II) in the total mixture is accordingly set and, therefore, it is 80 to 20, preferably 75 to 25, especially 67 to 33% by weight.

The difference in the values of the relative viscosity between Components (I) and (II) is at least 0.04 and at most 0.1 units.

It is essential furthermore that powders made by precipitation are only mixed as powders. Therefore such components preclude mixing the granulates and then jointly precipitating this mixture.

On the other hand it is possible to cold grind granulate mixtures, or also to mix subsequently powders obtained from the cold grinding process.

Mixing may be carried out conventionally, for instance in fluidizing containers or rapid mixers. The mixing of the powder components can take place prior to the final grading, that is prior to sifting or air screening. However, the previsouly classified powders can also be mixed.

The mixtures may contain conventional additives such as stabilizers, pigments, dyes and antistatic agents.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

Metal grids of wires having diameters between 0.8 and 3.5 mm and welded together are used for coating. As assessment was made of the number of pores formed at the grid crossing points, the covering of the edges (1=very thick cover, 5=edge almost bare), of the coating elasticity by bending a wire and until the coating tears at the weld site (1=no tearing when bending by 135°, 2 by 90°, 3 by 45°, 4 by 25° and 5 for less than 15°).

The Examples and the comparison examples designated below illustrate the invention.

The comparison example 4 shows that a mixture of the initial granulates prior to the precipitation causes no improvement. The comparison example 5 shows that the lower powder limit must be at η_(rel) =1.50; comparison example 12 shows that the upper limit may not exceed η_(rel) =1.65 and η_(rel) =1.75 respectively. Comparison example 6 shows that the difference between the η_(rel) units may not be less than 0.04 and comparison example 9 shows that it may not exceed 0.1. Comparison Examples 7 and 8 show that the critical limits of the proportions of the mixture must be between 20:80 and 80:20. Explanation of Tables:

    ______________________________________                                         Method of Mixing*                                                              ______________________________________                                         A      the initial granulates are mixed, the mixture is                               dissolved and the solution is precipitated;                             B      the precipitated powders are mixed;                                     C      the granulates are cold ground and then components                             (I) and (II) are mixed; and                                             D      the granulates of components (I) and (II) are mixed                            and then the mixture is cold ground.                                    **     polyamide 11                                                            ***    polyamide powder prepared from mixture of poly-                                lauryllactam and a copolyamide of 80% lauryllactam                             and 20% caprolactam, in a 50:50 ratio                                   ****   polyamide powder prepared from a mixture of poly-                              lauryllactam and a copolyamide of 95% lauryllactam                             and 5% isophoronediamine-dodecanoicdiacid salt in                              the ratio of 50:50                                                      *****  mixture of unlike polyamides, namely consisting of a                           mixture per Example 9 and a mixture per Example 10.                     ______________________________________                                    

    __________________________________________________________________________     η rel      mixing ratio                                                                          Kind wire diameter                                       Powder         I = II of   of grid                                             Example                                                                            I  II mixture                                                                             weight %                                                                              mixing*                                                                             in mm  pores                                                                              edge                                                                              elasticity                            __________________________________________________________________________      1  1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.55 50:50  B    1      0   2  2                                      2**                                                                               1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.55 50:50  B    1      0   2  2                                      3  1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.57 20:80  B    1      0   2  2                                      4  1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.53 80:20  B    1      0   2-3                                                                               2-3                                    5  1.58                                                                              1.65                                                                              1.62 50:50  B    3.5    0   1  1                                      6  1.65                                                                              1.75                                                                              1.70 50:50  B    4.5    0   1  1                                      7  1.50                                                                              1.55                                                                              1.53 50:50  C    1.5    0   2  2                                      8  1.50                                                                              1.55                                                                              1.53 50:50  D    1.5    0   2  2                                      9***                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.65                                                                              1.62 50:50  B    3.5    0   1  1                                     10***                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.65                                                                              1.62 50:50  B    3.5    0   1  1                                     __________________________________________________________________________

    __________________________________________________________________________            η rel  mixing ratio                                                                          Kind wire diameter                                    Comparison                                                                            powder     I:II   of   of grid                                          Examples                                                                              I  II mixture                                                                             weight %                                                                              mixing*                                                                             in mm  pores                                                                              edge                                                                              elasticity                         __________________________________________________________________________      1     1.52                                                                              -- --   --     --   1      0   5  5                                   2     1.58                                                                              -- --   --     --   1      5   2  2                                   3     1.55                                                                              -- --   --     --   1      2   3  4                                   4     1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.55 50:50  A    1      2   3  4                                   5     1.45                                                                              1.55                                                                              1.50 50:50  B    1      0   5  5                                   6     1.52                                                                              1.54                                                                              1.53 50:50  B    1      0   3  3                                   7     1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.57 10:90  B    1      2   2  2                                   8     1.52                                                                              1.58                                                                              1.53 90:10  B    1      0   4  3-4                                 9     1.58                                                                              1.70                                                                              1.64 50:50  B    3.5    8   1  2                                  10     1.58                                                                              -- --   --     --   3.5    0   4  3-4                                11     1.65                                                                              -- --   --     --   3.5    6   1  2                                  12     1.70                                                                              1.80                                                                              1.75 50:50  B    4.5    20  1  1                                  13*****                                                                               1.58                                                                              1.65                                                                              1.62 50:50  B    3.5    2   1  5                                  __________________________________________________________________________

The polyamides used in the examples and in the comparison examples having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group are as follows:

    ______________________________________                                         Component I         Component II                                               ______________________________________                                         Example                                                                        1      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           2      polyamide 11     polyamide 11                                           3      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           4      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           5      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           6      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           7      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           8      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           9      50 parts polylauryllactam                                                                       50 parts polylauryl-                                          50 parts copolyamide of                                                                         lactam; 50 parts                                              80% lauryllactam and 20%                                                                        copolyamide of 80%                                            caprolactam      lauryllactam and 20%                                                           caprolactam                                            10     50 parts polylauryllactam                                                                       50 parts polylauryllactam                                     and 50 parts copolyamide                                                                        and 50 parts copolyamide                                      of 95% lauryllactam and                                                                         of 95% lauryllactam and                                       5% isophoronediamine                                                                            5% isophoronediamine                                          dodecanoicdiacid salt                                                                           dodecanoicdiacid salt                                  Com-                                                                           parison                                                                        Examples                                                                       1      polyamide 12     --                                                     2      polyamide 12     --                                                     3      polyamide 12     --                                                     4      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           5      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           6      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           7      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           8      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           9      polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           10     polyamide 12     --                                                     11     polyamide 12     --                                                     12     polyamide 12     polyamide 12                                           13     50 parts polylaurin-                                                                            50 parts polylaurinlactam                                     lactam           50 parts copolyamide of                                       50 parts copolyamide                                                                            95% lauryllactam and 5%                                       of 80% lauryllactam                                                                             isophoronediamine and                                         and 20% caprolactam                                                                             dodecanoicdiacid salt                                  ______________________________________                                     

What we claim is:
 1. A method of preparing a pulverulent polyamide coating composition comprising:(a) mixing together granulates of(I) 80 to 20% by weight of a first polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and having a relative viscosity of 1.50 to 1.65 as measured in m-cresol at 25° C. for a concentration of 0.5 g/l; and (II) 20 to 80% by weight of a second polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and having a relative viscosity of 1.55 to 1.75 as measured in m-cresol at 25° C. for a concentration of 0.5 g/l per German Industrial Standard 53,727, wherein the difference between the relative viscosities of components (I) and (II) is at least 0.04 and at most 0.1 units; and (b) cold grinding the mixture.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein components (I) and (II) are aliphatic homopolyamides having the basic block formula: ##STR2## wherein x is an integer from 9 to
 12. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein component (I) is polylauryllactam.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein component (II) is polylauryllactam.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein component (I) is polyaminoundecanoic acid.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein component (II) is polyaminoundecanoic acid.
 7. A method of preparing a pulverulent polyamide coating composition comprising:(a) cold grinding a first polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and having a relative viscosity of 1.50 to 1.65 as measured in m-cresol at 25° C. for a concentration of 0.5 g/l per German Industrial Standard 53,727; (b) collecting said ground first polyamide as powder component (I); (c) cold grinding a second polyamide having on the average at least nine aliphatically bound carbon atoms per carbonamide group and having a relative viscosity of 1.55 to 1.75 as measured in m-cresol at 25° C. for a concentration of 0.5 g/l per German Industrial Standard 53,727, wherein the difference between the relative viscosities of said first and second polyamides is at least 0.04 and at most 0.1 units; (d) collecting said ground second polyamide as powder component (II); and (e) intimately mixing 80 to 20% by weight of component (I) with 20 to 80% by weight of component (II).
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein components (I) and (II) are aliphatic homopolyamides having the basic block formula: ##STR3## wherein x is an integer from 9 to
 12. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein component (I) is polylauryllactam.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein component (II) is polylauryllactam.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein component (I) is polyaminoundecanoic acid.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein component (II) is polyaminoundecanoic acid. 